ES Processors (920XM ES)

Hi All,

I just purchased a 920XM ES off ebay. What is the general consensus on these chips? I have read a lot that in overclocking they are not as stable and may even run a bit hotter. However I am not to interested in extreme overclocking, maybe overclocking by a couple multipliers but looking for the chip to be stable enough for day to day use.

Did I make a "boo boo" in buying this chip?

Also sorry if there is already another thread on this...

 

Good questions to ask before you make a purchase! Now, you get to find out first hand!

The "general consensus" is the final rev ES chips are pretty stable. Many people here use them. Your mileage may vary, though, as you don't really know who had that chip before and how much it was tortured.

 

Oles chiefs.

The i7 920XM is the best value for money CPU chip out there. Especially when coupled with the M17x R2. A very good choice chiefs. You won't be disappointed. If your looking for a little bit extra just use the default 5% OC that is able to be enabled in the system bios. Then you all set to perform day to day tasks. Also yes the CPU will get a little hotter compared to lets say a 720 or 740QM processor. Thats only a given though so no worries there.

The chip should be fine. However if there are any boo boos it will depend on who you bought it with on ebay and whether or not it comes with a return policy or any warranty. Apart from that a very good purchase though chiefs.

Enjoy!

Cheers.

 

I should say to, for others in the same boat as johnsmor, that the i7-820QM chip is very, very close to the performance of an non-OC'd (but much more expensive) i7-920XM. If you want to save big $$$, get an OEM i7-820QM instead of a i7-920XM if you don't intend to overclock. The 820QM has the same internal cache as the 920XM, and is just a few megahertz slower.

Take the money you save and get a SSD! That is a huge performance boost!

 

performance is not even close in the m17x-r2 cause with the 920 you can get all 4 cores to turbo boost to thier max multiplixer wich is impossible with the 820

 

I got the same chip off of Ebay and it is working like a champ for me

 

I currently have the 820, 256SSD + 500hybrid, 8gig, 5870CF. I am just looking for a bit more performance in some of my games, hoping that the extra boost from the CPU will help. Plus if all is good and stable intend to sell my OEM 820 for just a little less then what I picked up the ES for, hey if I can get a little boost in performance for $100 that's definitely worth it for me!

 

True dat!

You have a pretty nice system already! You should think about putting your specs in a signature so we know what you have when you're asking questions.

Good luck on your 920XM...I'm sure you'll be fine. It is one from Asia, or did you buy from a US seller?

 

I suppose if you sit all day running benchmarks then your correct. Most of us, I think though, don't and while the CPU may "turbo-up" every now and then, it spends most of it's time at a much lower speed. At least that is what all the speed gadgets and HW monitors on my system shows.

My point (not knowing the OP already had an 820) was that spec-wise, the non-extreme 820 is very close to a 920XM, and a bunch cheaper!

 

the quad turbo up every time there is enough demand power availible and heat headroom wich in the m17x is preatty much all the time look in the discution about bios a08 they removed this habilitie and it caused quite a drop in performance enough so that they had to put it back in in a09

and if the cpu doN,t turbo upp as long as you wich you can still use throttlestop to make it turbo all the time

 

I upgraded from an 820QM to a 940XM (ES). The performance boost was fairly noticeable, particularly during high-load situations (gaming, number crunching, etc).

I realize the OP is asking about the 920XM and not the 940XM, but based on what many others here have said I would think the gap between 920 and 940 would be far narrower than 820 to 920. Many here swear by the 920 over the 940 since you can clock the 920 up to almost equal without trouble.

 

Easirok is right. The differance is minimal. The truth is they are the same chip. The have the same bus speed, power, and stepping. Only differance is that the 940XM has a default multiplier of 25, where the 920XM has a default multiplier of 24. Using throttle stop the chips are on even ground with one another. 920XM is cheaper though as a result of the differance. I have both chips, and I use the 920 when benching, but when using the system for everyday use, I use the 940xm to get that extra multiplier by default and not have to worry about throttle stop.

Also the differance between the XM CPU's and the lower speced ones is that the XM's will turbo up on all four cores. This is not true with other CPUs. Only one or two will turbo up. If you open up throttle stop, you will see this. Such as on my i5 540M CPU. Core 0 is at a multiplier of 23, and the second core is at 21. But XM you can have a turbo multiplier of 24+ on EVERY core. THANKS UNCLEWEBB!

 

Ok, just looking for some opinions on this here, might be a stupid question. Is it likely that they'll stop making these chips in the near future?

I've currently got a 740QM in mine, and I'll be looking to upgrade the CPU sooner or later. I see the 920XM(ES) on ebay for around $400, but I was wondering if the prices will go down much further eg. when Intel releases a new chip, then I'm assuming that prices on the current 920XMs will go down because its been superseded, but will the prices also stay up because the supply is being lowered because they're not making them anymore?

I don't need the extra power now, but like everyone else, I would like to have more if its not going to cost the earth

Should I just buy the chip now rather than take the risk that in a few months the price may have gone down, but supply is non-existent?

 

Let me ask...after reading some of the responses, I wanted to check things for myself on my 920XM. Upon start/login of my Windows 7, HWiNFO32 shows all 4 cores of my 920XM at 24.00x multiplier. I am NOT using throttlestop at all (not even downloaded or installed it).

Should I be seeing all 4 cores at max turbo multiplier (24x) without throttlestop?

Thanks.

 

Not when all cores are running at full. You'd need throttlestop for that.

 

run wprime with 8 cores make sure to select 8 core under settings and watch your multipliers drop and then once you bring throttle stop in the pictures the multipliers will be exactly where you want them at. You really need to use Throttle stop if you have an XM series processor

 

So, what does this mean, then? HWiNFO show this status for about 1 full minute right after startup, then decreases down to where the cores bounce around between 1200Mhz and full 24x 3.3Ghz.

NO Throttlestop:

 

You need to fire up TS and leave it in monitoring mode only and view it. What you will see is that the processor are not being maxed out for activity. It will hit high multipliers but the load is very little. Once you increase the load using wprime it will drop. read this thread and you will learn more on how the multipliers work and how throttle stop plays into it.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m15x/520311-multiplier-manipulation-xm-processors.html

 

Read the thread you referenced. Downloaded and ran TS. I must be missing something, though, because when running Prime95, all 8 cores are at 17.5 multiplier, not 24. TS is ON, EIST is enabled. The multiplier option won't raise higher than 16 (checked or unchecked). Is there a good tutorial on TS or am I just missing something obvious?

 

Now all you dorks really confused me.

When I get the 920XM ES I will need to dowload other programs like throttle stop? so it works properly? I cannot just have it installed and maybe up the BIOS multiplyer by 1 or 2 for fun....

I am scared!!

Ok What am I to do, and please don't link me to another thread...if someone could give me a quick dummies guide...

 

Is there more than one variant of the 920 chip? They aren't always labeled with the XM ES ect...

Regards,

Mike

 

There is no BIOS multiplier setting. Just a 5% clock increase (from 133 to 140). To mess with more settings like multipliers, then YES, you need other software. It's not as easy as with desktop Extreme systems where all your "tools" are in the BIOS. That's one area where I feel AW could have done better.

 

Yes. There is the normal, OEM 920XM, and then in the "ES" or "QS" I think there were at least two, with the latest (and preferred) having the Q3B8 ID on it. The OEM has SLBLW and is the most expensive.

 

You will, at Idle, Run wPrime at 8 threads, so your CPU is under load at 100%. Then you will see that all four cores operate at a much lower multiplier. Throttle stop increases the TDP, there for increasing the turbo power. When you have an increase in turbo power, it can then turbo up to a higher multiplier. But then heat becomes an issue. Increase it enough, and you can run 8 threads of wPrime, at 25-26 multipliers, under all four cores. Other then benching, I keep my system at stock clocks.

The OEM is the original equiptment chip. It is the final mass produced chip. ES, Engineering Samples are used for testing, and much like the final version. QS are Quality Samples, and the final step before the OEM production. Often times they are sent to maufacturers such as dell to develop there systems around. They are techincally property of Intel, and as a result you can't sell them on NBR. But they can be had from ebay and since they work like OEM, they are more appealing for the price/performance ratio.

Right click in throttlestop and a menu will come up, one option will be "Turbo Power" Or something like that. Thats where you would increase the TDP, then when you re run wPrime, you'll see a higher multiplier, depending on how high you raise the TDP

Easiest thing is what Lancorp stated. Just use the bios overclock of 5%. Other than that you need throttle stop or the paid version of SetFSB. Then we can raise the Bus speed, multiplier, turbo power ect.

 

HWiNFO32 seems to sometimes lies about the actual clock states of cores. It is still a great tool, but I just don't trust that part of the Summary screen. ThrottleStop seems more accurate in this regard.

 

Anyone got any comments on my question?

 

If you really want it now chiefs get the 920XM. Great value atm.

However no fear about the prices going up later on after sandy bridge and stuff comes out. Usually the prices will go down even more as they become obsolete. Only in rare occasions do the prices actually go up. + its murder like some of the peeps are trying to sell eg. X9000 Cpus for like $500 odd. Crazy stuffs when you can get the X9200 or X9100 for like $200. Crazy peeps lol.

You should be fine to wait a few months for the 940XM or 920XM. The prices will and should go down a little more.

However if you would like the performance boost sooner the 920XM will be a great choice.

I have a few CPUs lying around as well along with some RAM. A heap of DDR3 sodimm 2gb sticks since I upgraded to 4gb sticks. Got a X9000, Q9000 and 740QM as well. + a 740M single core lol.

Cheers.

 

740M Single core? Huh? Never heard of it.

 

Yeh its a really old CPU now chiefs eheheheh. A few generations back before the core duos even came out. I used to use it in my NEC P8100 notebook. Its a 1.73Ghz CPU. Pretty useless really lol.

Intel Pentium M 740 1.73GHz socket 479 Processor Review - PCSTATS.com

Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (2M Cache, 1.73 GHz, 533 MHz FSB) with SPEC Code(s) SL7S8, SL7SA, SL86B

Cheers.

 

I think the fact you called it a "740M" instead of a "Pentium M 740" is what threw us. Puttin' the "M" in the right place is the difference between an old piece of junk and a new generation CPU!

I agree with you, though, on how the older high-end CPU's seem to stay artificially high. I just don't get it sometimes!

 

I'm reviving this thread cause something threw me whilst reading it:

so on wikipedia it says the standard freq. for the 920xm is 2Ghz, with an option to ramp up to 2.26Ghz under load for all 4 cores. thats a base 15x multiplier with an option to go to 17x multiplier under load. A single core may go up to 24x according to that wikipedia.

However, you all speak of a standard multiplier of 24x which is over 3Ghz by DEFAULT??

My questions is:

1. Out of the box, what speed is the 920xm?? 2Ghz? 3Ghz? (idling in windows)

2. If under load (eg. playing starcraft 2), without ANY tools, what is the clock of the 920xm in the M17x R2? 2.26Ghz? 3Ghz? We are talking about standard dell fans and no fancy repasting, setfsb or anything.

3. Using Throttlestop, you can increase all 4 cores to 24x under load?

4. Which program do you use to set the base multiplier to something higher than 15x?

THanks!

 

1. Out of the box your numbers are correct...

however, a 920xm in a M17x R2 has a maximum multi of 24x for 1, 2, 3 and 4 active cores... that's thanks to the BIOS of this machine... a nice overclock as standard setting.​

2. In a M17x R2 it's 3.2 GHz... max multi of 24.


3. Yes, even to 25 or 26 across all cores... but it gets hot under load, max I've heard of was 27x, but that was for benching only afaik.

4. Throttlestop


Edit: In case they removed the BIOS overclock please correct me.

 

4) The base multiplier of 15 is locked by Intel and can't be changed. You can only adjust the amount of turbo boost in these CPUs. Run ThrottleStop and click on the TRL - Turbo Ratio Limits window and have fun.

 

Personally I have more fun with the TDP/TDC

 

Oh, yeah... thanks, you're totally right, he was talking about the base multi... my mistake.

But anyway, you don't need to icrease the base multi as a high multi only helps when there's load.
There's a tweak to set the multi constantly to a higher value than 15, but it will have an effect on your battery life.